Catching a migraine early is important in preventing a full-blown attack and the best way to do this is knowing the silent symptoms to look out for.

Here are the surprising symptoms of migraines you should look out for and what to do when you detect them.

Watch For Food Cravings
During the early phase of developing a migraine, you could experience yawning, mood changes, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and neck pain. Functional brain scans performed during this phase show activation of different brain regions corresponding with different symptoms.

For instance, activation of the hypothalamus, a small region deep in the brain that is involved in the regulation of appetite, sleep, and metabolism, could play a part in the symptom of food cravings.

Food cravings; especially for chocolate is one of the symptoms migraine sufferers report. However, experts believe that chocolate is not a trigger. It’s more that the headache process has already started, and as part of that initial phase, they’re craving chocolate.

Upset Stomach
In patients with nausea, brain scans reveal activity at the base of the brain, where the queasy sensations originate. Furthermore, according to 2016 research from Istanbul University in Turkey, migraines may be genetically linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Light sensitivity
While light sensitivity can signal other eye problems, it is also a symptom of the early phase of migraine development. It may be caused by the activation of the occipital cortex, which is the region at the back of the brain that processes vision.

Feeling Sleepy
The activation of the brain’s hypothalamus region may also play a part in the sleep difficulties some patients experience. In a study published by The Journal of Headache and Pain, excessive daytime sleepiness was linked to an exacerbation of migraine symptoms.

Neck pain
Neck pain is another common symptom of migraines, and it seems related due to the nerve impulses that go back and forth between the lower part of the brainstem and upper spinal cord.

To prevent a migraine developing fully, identify the cause and remove it. If you’re stressed, try to rest. If you’re dehydrated, take water. Removing the cause can go a long way in keeping you healthy.